Get into the zone, be focused, embodiment, immersion or flow. Every name you say the state of flow is a real psychological phenomenon that occurs when gamers and exercise fanatics play games or train in VR. We’re here to help you understand flow state and then hack it so you can get the most of it with virtual reality.
What is flow
Creative types know that the flow state is that magical moment in which they are fully immersed and “one” with the item, artwork, or new design they are working on. Fit gamers experience flow or time dilation when they have a continuous stream of combo punches in a VR boxing game or when they put on the headset and completely immerse themselves in the virtual world around them. VR flow is easily achieved when a gamer’s vision, sound and touch are taken on an interactive journey.
How we enter the flow
Credit to: DarkHorizons.com
VR headset owners often experience a change in time perception, the flow of time or time dilation and can be traced back to the development of the games. Virtual reality game developers and studios aim to develop games that address the mental and physical flow states through immersion in VR and the Gamification of the exercise.
Developers design game environments that are wonderfully futuristic or shockingly realistic (depending on the game) and set goals and objectives that need to be addressed, resulting in player buy-in and time dilation. When the senses are busy and focused on the task at hand, the mind doesn’t think about the time, but motivates the body to push itself to score points or to see the zombie’s expression when you hit it.
That items “Visions of the VR Future: 7 Reasons Why VR Will Change Sport Forever” by Preston Lewis explains that “Virtual Reality is THE technology of presence because your vision is fully adopted. With the right VR design pattern Your brain believes that you have been transferred to another world and environment [and] Game that you are currently experiencing has the potential to put you in a flow state and expand your sense of time. This is especially important when you combine it with fitness. “
Plank and work out your obliques and abs while you fly in VR! Image credit: Icaros
It goes without saying that creating exciting and invigorating action, FPS, or fitness games that people will want to play, but making the game as realistic or as appealing to the senses as possible will make players come back. In the same article, Lewis also talks about how VR reduces and delays the onset of pain during sport or training by up to 60 percent.
Focusing on what is happening in the virtual moment drives exercisers towards weight loss or improved endurance by distracting their attention from the intensity of the exercise. This fact alone should motivate people who want to return to exercise after a long break or who want to achieve their fitness goals by minimizing the muscle soreness associated with it Shadow boxing with a virtual Bruce Lee or the feeling that a. to keep Planks when flying and shooting spaceships.
How do I hack the flow state?
To be clear, flow and time dilation don’t mean training and movement will be effortless in virtual reality. It means you still have to exert yourself to get results, but that exertion won’t make you feel like you are wading through the sands of time. To play Fitness VR games is a great way to train your body and brain to exceed your comfort zone in order to achieve these fitness goals.
VR exercise
Hit to the music! Photo credit: Soundboxing
Kent Bye out Voices from VR Podcast recently interviewed Sound boxing Eric Florenzano, on his VR rhythm game and discussed how playing games in VR has helped players lose weight and get in shape with the addicting game. Bye shared that he experienced a VR induced flow state while playing Audioshield, a VR rhythm game similar to sound boxing.
VR gamers like Bye experience immersion and flow when the mind is drawn to the beat and flow of the music while the body is focused on hitting bullets and user-generated beatmap challenges. The presenter from Voices of VR mentions that he trained both his dominant and non-dominant arms and then tested them for physical improvements and found that his coordination actually improved. Florenzano stressed that wearing Vive tracker the heat can turn up on the feet Sound boxes as a more immersive kickboxing VR game.
VR meditation
The proven saying mind over matter rings true for hacking into a mental flow state. Woman mindfulness, or Melli, the mindfulness blogger and practitioner, writes that consistently practicing mindfulness or meditation can train our minds to get into the flow zone.
Mrs. Mindfulness describes flow as the state in which “your ‘ego’ withdraws and gives way to the process unhindered – you are unaware of inhibitions, hunger, thirst, fatigue, pain or anything outside of the activity. All worries, thoughts and memories seem to melt away. ”
Being mindful or just meditating with your mind or a VR headset has been shown to have benefits in boosting the immune system and reducing inflammation from muscle strain. VR meditation apps like Guided meditation VR are just as effective as sitting with your eyes closed, breathing, and letting go.
The real advantage that flow hackers have VR mindfulness apps is taught to let go and go with the flow while learning how to control breathing. Breath control is a helpful crossover skill that stimulates the mind and body to flow together, which is particularly effective for breaking plateaus and overcoming mental and physical obstacles.
Follow us on social
Stay up to date with the latest VR fitness news
This article may contain affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and purchase a product, we may receive a small commission to help support the publication. More information here.
Comments are closed.